Once Miracle, Twice Fate
by Aalicia
Summary: IchiRuki AU taking place during the latter half of 19th century Japan. The events transpiring from the crossing of paths in between a Russian soldier Ichigo and a tribal Japanese witch Rukia. Inspired by the "Knight and Witch" fanart by peca.
1. Twice Chosen

**Disclaimer:** Bleach and all its characters are property of Kubo Tite, not mine.

_Author's Notes:_ IchiRuki AU during the later half of 19th century Japan. Rated M for sexual themes. Inspired by and dedicated to the wonderful art and person of peca from Bleach Asylum.

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**Once Miracle, Twice Fate**

**Chapter One – Twice Chosen**

The rain was pouring heavily, washing the blood tainted plains near the northern shores of Seiretei Island, where the Russian army was giving its last breath trying to successfully occupy enough terrain to build a fort. They had sailed there unopposed, but, once in land, the fierce Japanese forces, with their skilled warriors, reminiscent from the samurai glorious days, were stealing all the illusions they ever had of victory, on that far reached stretch of land.

Rukia was among such warriors, defending her home island, repeatedly stretching her bow to shoot precise white feathered arrows into the enemy charging cavalry. She was a witch among her people, member of the noble Kuchiki clan, fabled by both their warrior prowess and the healing capabilities that flowed in their long ancestry. Her older brother, head of the clan, didn't let her engage in close combat, reverting her to the archery in the rear and the caring of the wounded, once the battle was over. And it would soon be over, she concluded while lowering her bow, watching the last of the Russian forces being overpowered by the mounted spearmen. Swiftly, she ran to her horse, already equipped with a leather stretcher, and began to lead it down the mountain side towards the battle swept plains below.

A few dozen yards from her, she recognized Aizen Sousuke, clan leader from one of the southern households, throwing a Russian cavalry soldier off his horse, with the spear. The young man was badly hit and had lost his helmet on the fall, but he slowly stood up and raised his sword. There was something odd about the soldier, somehow Rukia felt as if she had seen him before and narrowed her eyes to focus. His hair was orange, she had seen hair like that once in the past. No… she had seen _that same boy_ in the past, she realized, widening her eyes and clenching her teeth, as the memories of their meeting, some fifteen years ago, assaulted her senses.

_Byakuya would always bring her with him, when he had to travel from the island to the mainland, to take care of business. During their long stays in the capital, he would often walk her through the woods and mountains, teaching her about nature and the arts of witchcraft. She loved to find hideouts in high places and would often run away during Byakuya's tedious meetings and hide somewhere up in the hills._

_And it was during one of such escapades, deep into the hills, that she heard loud voices in a language she couldn't understand. She ran down the high grass and hid when she saw three warriors with unsheathed swords pointed at a couple. There was a small hut near them, she knew that construction wasn't there last year, and the couple had weird features and clothes._

_Byakuya had told her that the Portuguese, many decades ago, had arrived in Japan, with their trade and their religion, and that their religion caused Japanese to fight among themselves. Thus, to prevent other nations from corrupting Japan, all foreigners found in the land must be killed. Are these people Portuguese to make them fight among themselves again? When looking at the man trying to shield the woman from the swords and the golden haired woman crying gripping his shoulders, they didn't look menacing. … but, then again, she looks like a normal child too, while in fact being a witch…_

_A fourth warrior torched the hut, setting it on fire. The man kept talking on a strange language, holding his palms up in the air. The warriors kept asking if there were any more of them, but neither side seemed to understand each other. Then a scream came from the woods, Rukia turned her face and that's when she saw him._

_A small boy, roughly her age, with hair as orange as the setting sun and eyes the color of an exotic drink Byakuya had bought from the Dutch once. And that's when all hell broke loose. The boy dropped the wood he had been gathering and ran to the couple, the woman reached for him, but a sword pierced through her before their hands managed to meet. The man tried to stop the warriors and shared the woman's fate. And only the boy was left, grabbing the woman's blood soaked clothes, screaming words Rukia couldn't understand. But his pain, she could understand. She too had lost her parents, some years ago, during the wars in between clans. And something inside her chest ached, as she saw herself reflected on those pained chocolate eyes._

_The boy wasn't crying. With a strength of character that made him age years in seconds, he stared at the one holding the blood tainted katana, resolute on showing no fear of his executioner. But that's when they heard light footsteps on the grass to their left, and all turned to see a raven haired little girl, with a sleeveless short purple dress with tribal motifs, bowing low and mumbling with a singing voice._

"… _earthly spirits within fire and blaze, cover all the eyes that I seek with my gaze." and she raised her head, staring at each of the four men with intense violet eyes. As they looked at her orbs, they saw them turn from violet to pitch black, spreading the darkness like a blooming poisonous flower, until they were all deprived of their sight, trying to rub the darkness off their eyes and swinging their swords against imaginary enemies._

_The boy was seeing all their agony, ignorant of what exactly happened and astonished by their sudden behavior. Rukia pulled his hand, trying to persuade him to run with her._

"_Come! Come, I can't hold the spell forever!"_

_The boy looked at her surprised, then back down at the bodies of his parents, frowning his forehead and clenching his chin. Rukia was trying to pull him in despair, she has gone this far to save him, she wasn't going to let him stay and die now._

"_COME! There's nothing for you to protect here anymore! You can't save them! Come and live!" Tears have started rolling down her cheeks in frustration, and she knelt down beside him."Please… let me save you!" They stared at each other for a moment, before the boy got up and let her lead him through the woods, down heavy foliage and rocky scarps, finally entering a dark passage through a partially hidden cave._

_Once inside, Rukia chanted a spell to create a blue crystal of light, to the boy's astonishment, so that he could see his footing. The natural erosion of the rocks had caused it to resemble an uneven underground slippery staircase, rising drastically within the heart of the hill. The climb was long, but they finally reached the opening in the end, coming to a plateau with low grass and large trees, high enough in the mountain, for them to sight the outskirts of the city._

"_Don't worry, you're safe here. This is one of my hideouts, probably only me and Nii-sama know about it. The mountainside is too steep to climb and the cave gets flooded during the cold seasons, even I took years to find it." And she approached him to better admire the strange facial features of the boy, so different from what she was used to see. "You have no idea of what I'm talking about, do you?" she whispered sadly. Was this a Portuguese? No, maybe Dutch… But the Dutch were allowed in the mainland, when on business, why would the warriors kill them instead of bringing them back to Dejima? "Look, I'm Rukia." she pointed to herself "RUKIA. Kuchiki Rukia. RU-KI-A. Now you tell me your name." she demanded, while poking his chest._

"_Ru-ki-a." His voice was low, Rukia couldn't tell if his throat was sore from the effort of the climbing, or from the pain of having lost his parents just minutes ago._

"_No, no, no. That's my name. See, I'm Rukia." She pointed at herself again, before resuming the poking on his chest. "I want to know YOUR name now. So, your name is…?"_

"… _Rukia."_

"… _I give up." she dropped her head in defeat._

_On that moment, rain started falling in cold fast and large drops and the two children ran to take cover underneath a generous tree. Rukia didn't like to wear the regular Japanese clothes, taking pride on showing she was a child from a clan of masters of the spirits of the elements, but it was a bad idea to wear such tribal simple apparels under stormy weather. The boy was better clad in western clothes, though still not sheltered the enough, with his cotton shirt and woolen vest. But he noticed the goose bumps on Rukia's arms, as they sit under the tree, and started to unbutton his vest and his shirt, to cover her with them. He was halfway through the task, when she understood what he wanted to do and had a better idea._

"_No, no, no. You'll get sick if you do that, there's a better way for both of us to stay warm." And she dragged herself to sit in front of him, supporting her back on his chest, tugging her knees to herself and taking his hands from the buttons of his shirt, to wrap his arms around her. "See? Now we're both protected from the rain and warm." And he was really warm, warmer than she expected. Again she remembered the hot chocolate her brother had bought from the Dutch. His eyes looked like chocolate, he was warm like chocolate, she wondered if he tasted like chocolate as well, and she turned her face to better scrutinize him. But, no, he would probably take offense if she would try to bite him... and calling him chocolate wasn't appealing anyway._

"_I know! I'll call you I-chi-go! It means to protect one thing, so that you can always protect the one thing you want. ICHIGO. Can you say it? I-chi-go?"_

_The boy kept silent, watching her with eyes that looked more clouded than the pouring sky above and Rukia had to remind herself he had just seen his parents die, it was not the best time to try to play with him. And she became serious again, before tugging her head back to his chest, underneath his chin._

"_Ichigo… I'm sorry about your parents. You can cry now, those men can't see it anymore and I won't tell anyone. So, cry. No one will know, no one can tell apart your tears from the rain, Ichigo."_

_She knew no spell to take away that pain. She too wouldn't let herself be seen crying, when she suffered, ashamed of her own weakness and not wanting to burden others with her hurting. She knew nothing would ever take it away, but she was glad she was with him, glad that he was neither dead nor alone to bear his loss and she wished he could share his sadness with her. Though she didn't know why. Maybe it was part of her witch nature, Byakuya had told her that, with growth and maturing, the witches become further in tune with all beings. Maybe that's why she wanted to help that boy so much. … or maybe it was because he reminded her of chocolate…_

_Suddenly, the boy's head fell over her shoulder, startling her at first, but she soon smiled, realizing he was asleep._

"_And what might be so funny?" A familiar aristocratic voice was heard._

"_Nii-sama!" She noticed the rain had stopped and her brother was standing in front of her, with an eyebrow slightly raised. As she unwrapped herself from the boy, he fell limp to the side, making Rukia shake him in concern. "Ichigo! What's wrong? Nii-sama, what have you done to him?"_

"_Just a sleeping spell, as I have no patience for children, you already use all I have. Now, will you mind stopping with the grabbing of that fellow, and tell me what's going on instead?"_

_Rukia replied, but kept her hold on the boy. "He's foreign."_

"_I can see that. Who is he and why were you here with him?"_

_Rukia's face turned serious, erasing the last reminiscences from the lively expression she featured previously. "They killed his parents, and set their hut on fire, near Karakura Town. I saved him and ran here."_

_Byakuya sighed and lowered his face with concern. "How did you save him?"_

"_I blinded the warriors for a while. I didn't harm them!"_

_Byakuya was just slightly relieved. "Yet you interfered with the enforcement of the Law, with helping a foreigner escape justice."_

"_What justice is there on killing this child?"_

"_And who are you, but a child, to so easily question the Law?"_

_Her voice lowered and paused, unwilling to hide the sadness. "Laws change. When they do, who's going to bring him back from the dead?"_

"_Rukia…" oh, she's growing up… fast._

"_Can I keep him?" Too fast._

"_Rukia, he's not a toy for you to keep."_

"_Don't let him get killed. Please… Nii-sama… don't turn him in."_

"_I'm not bringing him to Seiretei neither."_

"_Why not? On your side of the island, you're the Law."_

"_The King's Law still holds higher than my own. I'm not a child like you, Rukia, I can't go around breaking rules by will. My position is also my responsibility, I have to set the example to all the people in our land. In Seireitei, I would have to kill him myself."_

"_NO!" she held him tighter, protectively._

"_Why are you making such a big deal out of this boy, Rukia? What is he to you, to make you so easily forget the proprieties of both your position and heritage, and choose to run rampant against rules and rulers, just for his sake?"_

_She finally let go of the child and walked to her brother. "… I don't know for sure, Nii-sama. … You taught me the way of the spirit master is to help those around you when no one else can, because our lineage was entrusted with powers greater than the common man, so that the common man can spare the gods from some of their troubles. I saw his parents be executed. I chose to help the boy and I saved him. Don't let it all be in vain, Nii-sama. Don't let it all be in vain…" she pleaded, while hiding her face against his sleeve._

_Was she crying? No, she couldn't be. Though she was still a child, Byakuya didn't see Rukia cry for years now, and surely she wouldn't do so for a boy she just met. Even so, it was close enough for Byakuya to bare it any longer, and he sighed in defeat._

"_Fine, we'll save the boy." Rukia looked up at him with exulting eyes. "There's a Dutch caravan traveling through town. I've done business with them before and they are decent people. I'll leave the boy to their care, for them to take him out from Japan safely, with the Dutch ships in Dejima." And Byakuya used his coat to hood the lad, hiding his unusual features, proceeding to carry him back through the cave, their voices echoing once inside._

"_Thank you, Nii-sama!"_

"_You'll thank me with no more escapades, during the rest of our stay in the mainland."_

"_Yes! Anything you want, Nii-sama!"_

"_You'll endure all the boring business meetings?"_

"_Yes!"_

"_You'll wear a kimono?"_

"_Yes!"_

"… _Frankly, what's so special about this boy…"_

"_He reminds me of chocolate, Nii-sama!"_

"… _No, I definitely don't want to hear you elaborate on that."_

_Back in town, they found the Dutch caravan refreshing the animals near the drinking fountains and Byakuya left Rukia with the horses, while he went to speak with the Dutch tradesmen. It took some coin, but the Dutch accepted to take the "extra merchandise" back with them to Dejima, and board him on a ship to more friendly lands. Byakuya unwrapped him from his coat and laid him on the hay wagon. He didn't need to stay hidden anymore, he wouldn't stand out so much among Dutch people and the sleeping spell would still hold for many hours. Maybe he was even Dutch himself, Rukia thought, as her brother was leading her away from the caravan._

"_I hope I get to see him again." she let out, while looking back._

"_That… would be a miracle."_

_Suddenly, she let go of Byakuya's hand and ran back to the wagon, laying a soft kiss on the boy and whispering "I saved your life, you owe me a miracle." before running back to her brother, that couldn't believe the child's lack of decorum. Too fast, she was really growing up too fast, he thought, while gripping her hand with a stronger hold._

And now, so many years later, she was granted the miracle she asked for, just to be forced to see the boy she saved die a young man. The Law that forbade foreigners in Japan had fallen years ago, but now the Russians were trying to gain terrain down the northern islands, and he had to be Russian, of all people, and fight in Seiretei, of all places.

He was completely overpowered. Aizen's spear had lashed most of his body already, but now, like back then, the boy with the mane of the setting sun wouldn't let his enemy see his fear nor his defeat, getting up every time, not letting go of his sword. She knew Aizen was just playing with him, testing how far the boy could shake before breaking.

She once asked a miracle for the choice she made, and now the miracle presented her the choice again. And her choice was to end both of their miseries. With trembling arms and eyes clouded with tears, she armed her bow with three arrows. She didn't want to do that again, so she was making sure one shot was enough. She stretched the line and aimed, clenching her teeth together and taking a deep half caught inhale. The moment her hands stopped shaking, she let go of the arrows, making them cross the distance in a breath, and steal the last gasp of the one they were aimed for.


	2. Twice Hidden

**Once Miracle, Twice Fate**

**Chapter Two – Twice Hidden**

The young man couldn't quite believe his eyes, as the spearman that so vigorously engaged him suddenly poured blood from his mouth and laid lifeless in front of him.

His body started to fail him, without the adrenaline of battle forcing him onward, he couldn't tell the cold of the rain from the temperature of his own body and even his vision started to blur, with the weakness of the loss of blood melting his senses. He knew death was nearing him, as he laid soaked in scarlet.

Amidst the dizziness and all the colors becoming bright around him, he noticed an indistinct figure, scantily clad in red dressings, kneel down in front of him, carrying a light that almost blinded his eyes. He held his sword up in instinct, as it spoke Japanese with a womanly voice.

"Don't be afraid."

"Are you… an angel?... Am I dead?..."

Rukia curved her lips slightly on a sad smile, seeing that he had learned Japanese, and listening to his spirit scream the torn state it was in. The light forming on her palm grew, as she focused more of her vital energy into it.

"Not if I can help it. If you have any gods to worship, pray to them I can suffice." The beacon of light left her hand and entered his chest, before he collapsed into a restoring sleep. She immediately felt weaker, but still managed to drag him to the stretcher and lead her horse away from the battlefield, as the last war cries and metal clashes were taking place, on the northern plains of Seiretei Island.

It took almost two hours to reach her hut, in the high reaches of the Kuchiki lands, choosing the softer and most sheltered paths. The rain had stopped, and a dense fog started to engulf the lower hills.

Also in the lower plains, the fog was forming, veiling the Seiretei people carrying the dead and the wounded from the crimson splattered grass. Among them, two warriors baring the arms of the Aizen household stood watching their fallen leader.

"White feathered arrows… the Kuchiki witch." said the silver haired man, turning to see Byakuya healing some of his men, at the distance.

"Where is she?" The dark skinned warrior grabbed the handle of his katana, while looking around him.

"Easy, Tousen." his lips curved in a sinister smile "We'll avenge our master's honor. But all in due time… For now, let's be discrete, shall we. We don't want him coming for us afterwards, you know." and he motioned his head slightly towards Byakuya.

The dark skinned man relaxed the hold on the sheathed katana. "Yes, Gin… We shall wait for when the Kuchiki princess can be found alone, unattended and unseen."

In truth, right now, the Kuchiki witch wasn't alone. After laying the man down on a mat, she proceeded to wash his wounds with a cloth soaked in essences meant to purify his body. Her life force had been enough to stop the bleeding, but she couldn't use it to fully regenerate him, afraid of becoming too weak to keep him alive.

Kneeling beside him, she gently brushed the cloth over his forehead, down his neck, on his broad shoulders, chiseled torso, watching concerned the way his chest was heaving and all the scars on his defined abs. He had become a strong man, a striking man, that boy she once concealed atop a hill and was now concealing in her own house. His fingers were continuously flexing in feverish compulsion and his breathing was rough and uneven.

Rukia bit her lower lip, deciding to risk another direct infusion from her life force, her palm already coming alight over his chest, but, amidst his delirium, he grabbed her shoulder blade and held her across his torso. Laid thus, his heart was pounding directly below her ear. It was beating strong, pulsing all through her senses. She allowed herself to remain on that position, comforted by the beating of his vital muscle. "Don't you lie to me." she whispered. "Don't you dare stop after screaming so loud that you can already beat on your own." And she spent the night veiling over the truth of his heart's speech.

The next day, he opened his eyes, while she was drawing symbols on his skin, with element consecrating oil moistened fingers, reciting ancient chants of spirit mastery.

"What happened to me?"

"Shh. You're hanging on. I'll get you well soon."

"I can't move… I can't see… " his eyes were moving around repeatedly in panic.

"It's just for today. I canceled all your superfluous functions, so your spirit can use more power to regenerate your body."

"I don't want to stay like this!"

"You lost too much blood, some of your vital functions are still at the verge of collapsing, the less your spirit gets drained in secondary functions, the more the chances of it being able to regenerate your body completely."

"I know nothing of such spirits."

"But I do." And she leaned closer to his ear. "Trust me."

After a moment, he slightly nodded and closed his eyes again, while Rukia dipped her fingers in the small oil pot.

"Why didn't you cancel my speech as well?"

She smiled, resuming the drawing of the symbols down the side of his waist, thinking she very much liked his voice.

"Because panic would also trouble your spirit."

She slept uneasy that night, constantly observing him from her mat. She missed the reassurance from the nearby beating of his heart, but knew there was no need for such a close watch, given his body was giving signs of recovering steadily.

On the next day, she cleaned all the markings from him, freeing his spirit to all the regular functions again. Her own spirit had recovered some of its energy, and she plunged a small amount from it into him, while he slept, as an extra boost, before leaving the hut to do some needed trading in Rukongai.

She decided to walk instead of taking her horse, roaming down the paths down the hills that she knew by heart, that lead from her home into the small village. Not many people besides her brother and trusted personnel from the Kuchiki clan actually knew where she lived. Most people thought she lived in the Kuchiki main house, and in truth, she would spend there most of her time. But not now. She surely wouldn't be able to hide the keeping of the Russian from her brother's sharp eyes, he would certainly notice the weak state of her spirit, so he was the last person she wished to bump into today.

She strolled around the market, slightly smiling while testing the fabric of some western style shirts and suits. The young man was recovering swiftly, it filled her heart to know she managed to save him. But what would happen, once he was fully recovered?

"_Can I keep him?"_

"_Rukia, he's not a toy for you to keep."_

He's not even a boy anymore. Still… did she want to keep him?... She's not a girl anymore neither. But she did not want to think of such things. Right now, all she wanted to concentrate on was restoring him back to health. Whatever lies beyond, time would tell.

So deeply was she delved on her thoughts, that she never noticed the two men watching her through the crowd, while leaving the market with all her new purchases tied behind her back. Their hands gripping their katanas and their nod sinister the enough to make the market sounds resemble a rattle-snake's warning.

On her way up the hills, Rukia was wondering if the Russian was strong enough to start eating, when a flight of startled birds around the trees called her attention. She halted, scouting her surroundings with her acute, though weakened, spirit master senses. She could sense one – no – two strong spirits with the intent to kill, stealthily approaching behind her. Holding her breath, she considered her options, while cursing herself for being so careless. She didn't have enough spirit force to successfully damage them with spells, she had left her own weapons on the hut and her only defense was the small dagger she kept tied to her inner thigh. Her only option was to run, and thus she darted forward, making the two men rise from their hiding, to follow suit in open chase.

Inside the hut, the orange haired Russian suddenly sat up from the mat, looking around in confusion and urgency. He grabbed Rukia's white katana from the stand, before hurriedly leaving the wooden shelter.

Down the hills, Rukia had disentangled herself from the goods behind her back, but the pursuers easily jumped over them without losing terrain. Even though small and quick as a fox, she was rivaled in agility by the two men from the Aizen house, that, not so familiar with the terrain, were still surpassing her speed due to their superior physical condition. She looked back to realize how close Gin was from gripping her, and screamed in desperation, on a last attempt to force her body to plunge forward beyond its limits.

In front of her, she saw her own horse running down the path, mounted by the Russian, wielding her katana. Their eyes met mirroring each other's urgency for a moment, before Rukia rolled out of the way and Gin only barely raised his sword in time to prevent a fatal blow, being tossed against a tree by the violence of the clash.

The Russian dismounted the horse and shielded Rukia, as Tousen approached. They engaged in vigorous swordfight, the foreigner proving to be a skillful master of katana handling, even on his weak condition, but Rukia didn't wait to see the end of it. As soon as the dark skinned man showed an opening, she emerged from behind her protector and plunged her dagger in between the warrior's ribs. They witnessed the dark man gasp and fall, when death reaped his soul.

Rukia's eyes widened seeing Gin emerge from behind the Russian, but as he picked up the sign and turned, a blade was already pierced through the silver haired man, and he was dripping blood from his mouth, falling lifeless at their feet. Behind him, Kuchiki Byakuya was retrieving his katana from the limp body.

The Russian was turning to see if Rukia was unarmed, when the same blade, still tainted with Gin's blood, rested underneath his chin.

"Nii-sama, NO!" Rukia tried to pull her brother's arm down.

"Give me one good reason not to." He was glaring the stranger, fully recognizing the Russian traits on his pants and boots. The man returned every spark of hostility with his gaze, unaffected by the katana that held his neck hostage.

"Is having saved your sister's life so little to you?" and she let go of his arm, with a hurt expression, letting him measure her words fully.

Byakuya closed his eyes for a few moments, before swiftly drawing back and sheathing his katana. He looked at his sister, not needing to say he wanted a word with her, in private.

Rukia turned to the soldier, while gripping both her arms nervously. "Please, take my horse back to the house, I'll be fine now." The Russian just looked at Byakuya and back at Rukia, reluctant to leave her behind. "It's alright. He's my brother. I'll return soon." The young man stood looking at her for a moment longer, before heading towards the horse and leading it up the path, still eyeing both of them over his shoulder, every few yards.

Byakuya watched him, before lowering his eyes to the ground. "Rukia, I've always tried to give you room for your private affairs, but do you mind telling me what's going on?"

She was too uncomfortable to look him in the eyes. "I guess I just saved him again, Nii-sama."

"Am I supposed to understand this statement?"

"Don't you remember?... The orange haired boy, about fifteen years ago? That I saved after they killed his parents, back when the foreigners were still outlawed?"

"You don't mean…"

"Yes, Nii-sama, that's him." and she added with a shy smile "I guess miracles do happen."

Byakuya frowned his eyebrows together. "Seriously, what is it about you and that boy?! And what do Aizen's men have to do with all this?"

"I already told you, Nii-sama…" She gripped her arms tighter. "I… _saved_ him again."

"You didn't…" he whispered, stressing his features in disbelief.

"I had to." she whispered back.

Byakuya closed his eyes and paced away a few steps. "… I'm going to visit our parents' grave… Beg them for forgiveness, for I clearly ruined you with my spoiled upbringing… To think that you so easily killed your own kind to save an enemy…"

His words were hurting her and she dared to talk back. "I'm sure they'll understand. They too killed and fell by their own kind, during the clan wars." Byakuya suddenly turned to her, his face clearly showing he was taking insult to their ancestors from her words. His eyes hurt more than any slaps he could punish her with and Rukia shrugged and shivered, not daring to look at him no longer, but still finding the courage to speak under a trembling voice. "One's enemy is the one opposing one's interests. Fifteen years ago, you could kill him because he was a foreigner. Now, you can only kill him because Russia has been trying to occupy the islands. In his army, he killed who he was told to kill, same as you. He is not my enemy. One day, when they sign a treaty, he won't even be anyone's enemy."

Byakuya walked back to her, using a stronger tone. "Right now, he's an enemy of _my_ nation and I won't have him on what is still the patch of land under _my_ rule." He stood towering over her. "I'll spare his life as favor for his protection of you, but either you send him back to his land or I'll do it myself."

A long silence ensued. Byakuya still looking down at her, while she kept her head low, hiding her eyes from his scrutiny. Fifteen years have passed, but she was still the little kid. Finally, she spoke, with a weak voice. "… Two days."

He sighed, gazing the distant horizon. "Rukia, my tolerance, even for you, has limits."

"Two days. … Let me just heal him completely. … Please."

"Promise me." He lifted her chin to force her to look at him. Her eyebrows were knit together, but he could see more sadness than anger in her eyes. It ached inside his heart see her like this, but he didn't waver. "Promise me you'll send him back two days from now."

She blinked repeatedly. "I promise, Nii-sama." He slightly nodded and turned, walking away. "… I also promise…" Byakuya stopped and turned his face slightly to the side. "that it's the last time I'll send him away. … If he finds his way back to me again, I won't let go of him unless he or I so wish it. If you'll still wish him off Seiretei, should that happen… I'll leave as well."

Byakuya took a moment to reply. "… You said it yourself. It's a miracle your paths crossed again. And a miracle only happens once." and he resumed his path.

Rukia watched him walking away, her eyes framed under a sad frown, as she whispered to herself "Then this time, I'll just ask for whatever happens twice."


	3. Twice Holding

**Once Miracle, Twice Fate**

**Chapter Three – Twice Holding**

When Rukia arrived the hut, carrying the goods she could salvage, the Russian was brushing her horse.

"Please go inside and lie down, you're not fully healed yet."

He obeyed her and watched her in silence, as she kept organizing items around the shelter, seeming to avoid looking at him. After a while, he sat up and decided to ask the questions that were burning inside his mind, to the woman that stood with her back turned to him, busy with her crafting.

"You're sad, aren't you?" Rukia just turned her face to the side slightly, but resumed focusing on her herb mixture soon afterwards. "How can I feel what you feel? Like earlier, I knew you were in danger and where to find you, why can I do that?"

Rukia answered without facing him, crushing leaves inside a small bowl. "I infused you with my own spirit, because yours was too worn out to regenerate on its own. It's a temporary secondary effect, while my spirit energy remains inside your body. Rest, you might not be feeling any pain, but if the recovery isn't consistent, your body will keep permanent flaws."

He laid back down, but rested his shoulders against the wall, so he could still keep an almost sitting straight position. "But how can you manipulate spirits?"

"I'm a witch. A spirit master. I was born with the ability to manipulate elements and spirit forces. It runs on my bloodline, though it also takes a lot of learning." Given he seemed to be on a chatty mood, Rukia felt like not being the only one giving answers. "How come you're fluent in Japanese?"

He stared at his hands for a while. "I worked in Dejima, for some years."

So, the Dutch actually kept him for long, instead of sending him back with the first ship… Rukia stopped the crushing, to ask him the question she had given up asking fifteen years ago. "And… do you mind telling me your name?..."

Even though she couldn't see it, that question made the Russian grin widely, and he was still smirking as he replied "Kurosaki…" Rukia resumed the mixing. "… Ichigo." She stopped and stared back at him with shocked eyes. His amused expression persuaded her to quickly collect herself and face the bowl again, gripping it tightly.

"… That's a Japanese name."

"It was given to me by a Japanese girl." Again, she couldn't see it, but he was standing up. "Why did you save me?"

"I'm a witch, it's my job to heal people after battles."

"Even killing one of your own to do it?"

"He was not from my clan and it's my business to save whoever I choose."

"And it's not even the first time you save me, is it…" she could listen to his voice growing closer and the last word was whispered right above her ear "… Rukia."

Startled by the proximity, instinct took the best of her and with one swift move, she had her dagger pointing underneath his chin. His body was so close his warmth seemed to circle her whole, and his face, towering above her, was intoxicating her breath with his own, while his eyes mesmerized hers with a heat that melted her core. Ichigo slowly, but steadily, lowered his lips to hers, unabated by the dash the sharp blade was drawing underneath his chin, until Rukia dropped the dagger and accepted his kiss with a soft whimper, surrendering to their passion.

While their tongues dueled, it felt like heaven had open up. Ichigo was hungry, hungry for her, hungry by her. Rukia's scent of wild gardens, Rukia's taste of exotic spices, Rukia's skin of warm silk, the way she was molding against him, the way she was breathing enrolled on his kiss, everything about her was making his head spin and his body crave for more. He lifted her, while her arms circled around his neck, and sat her over the counter, her legs around his sides, the need to have him closer latent on their grip.

Rukia had all that was womanly on her screaming for Ichigo. Her knees were rubbing their way up the sides of his firm torso, her body trying to grip him closer to her core with a will of its own. She couldn't think anymore, she just wanted to _feel_. Feel him on her, around her, within her. Even the way his muscles tensed everywhere she touched was intoxicating.

Ichigo parted their kiss, and they regarded each other, in between racing breaths. He caressed Rukia's swollen lips with his thumb, but she parted her folds to hold it captive in between her teeth and taste it with her welcoming appendage. She shivered when his warm breath followed by his fiery tongue traveled across her cheek to her ear and gasped when he softly bit the lobule. He tasted her ear lastingly, letting his thumb play inside Rukia's mouth.

When the hunger for her kiss made him replace his thumb with his tongue again, he made his moistened finger slid down her chin, her neck, her collarbone, and inside her dress, to circle around a pert nipple, while his palm gently held the mound. The way Rukia moaned against his mouth and tensed her body towards his caress made his arousal twitch and nearly sent him over the edge. He softly sucked on her lower lip, as she ripped the top of her own dress out from the ivory buttons, to grant her chest the full access to the warmth and touch it was craving for.

Not believing the beauty before his eyes, Ichigo first embraced Rukia tightly, yearning to feel her body against his own. He ran his fingertips across her bare back and nuzzled among her raven hair, while she gripped his firm backside and indulged her mouth with eagerness all over his pectorals, licking their underline and tasting his nipples, leaving Ichigo's mind numb, shattered in between the ticklish and the electrical sensations.

When her fingers ran from his back and up his heaving torso, searching to entwine around his neck in thirst of his kiss, Ichigo assaulted Rukia with the longing of a madman. His kiss was liquid fire wanting to burn into her very soul. He gripped the back of her head with one hand, while the other grabbed her backside pressing her strongly against his manhood. Rukia's hips were running amok, her thighs cuffing Ichigo's lower abs for all they're worth, her pelvis overlapping along the length of his arousal.

He couldn't even see straight anymore, when he released her mouth to pant a whisper against her ear. "You're making me crazy, Rukia, hold still."

"I can't!" and she followed her whisper with the sucking of his ear, making him hiss in between teeth.

He ran a hand down the side of her leg and up her inner thigh, making it tense and raise in anticipation. His fingers hadn't yet reached her folds and they were already damp on her juices. He suckled on her neck, while he probed around the entrance to her core and slowly slid his index over the tensed nub, making her slightly bite his shoulder while whimpering his name. Her legs were already trembling, one wrapped tightly around his waist and the other entangled with his own. And he too, couldn't bare it any longer.

Lifting her up from the counter, he carried her wrapped around him to the mat. He kept kissing her while unbuttoning his trousers and Rukia used her own feet to pull them down his toned legs. As he stood above her, supporting his weight on his forearms, he kissed her again, while feeling his length slide down her folds and start sheathing itself within her. They both gasped a moan, feeling one for the first time. Ichigo rested his head on her shoulder, panting, and Rukia raised her hips to sheath him completely, making him gasp again, before she started undulating her pelvis to revel in the pleasure of his length.

"Be still." he whispered to her again.

"Can't."

"Just for a bit... please... be still." and he lowered his body to pin her down and limit the range of motion for her hips. She whimpered softly and ran one hand down his side, to grip his tensing backside, while the other caressed his mane, behind his neck. He looked at her through half closed lids for a moment, before closing his eyes to rub his nose on hers and stealing her breath again with a deep kiss.

He started moving against her, slowly, but with a constant pace. Rukia felt too good for words and Ichigo fitted on her as if the gods themselves had deliberately made him to that purpose. The rest of the world seemed to disappear, and all they could feel was each other. He caressed her breast and tasted all the contours of her ear, with Rukia's fingertips running errant all over his body and taking him further away from whatever notion of control he once had.

Their rhythm accelerated without their notice. Rukia was moaning with every breath, with her arms up so her hands could hold his as if she would break apart without him to hang on to, and Ichigo was hissing against her neck, eyes shut from any light and his brain getting shut from anything other than the woman that had him and the growing blooming from his manhood, that was at the verge of exploding.

The pressure on Rukia's core sprawled, making her arch her back and her legs tremble, with the spasms of the strong waves of pleasure, that made her almost scream. But Ichigo couldn't tell her spasms from his own, when the sudden twitching on Rukia's body made him come hard and soundly, filling Rukia with his climax and smothering his own scream against her shoulder.

Rukia was still feeling the last few waves flow through her body, when a panting Ichigo kissed her lips sweetly and traced small kisses back to her ear again, whispering pleasantly "Are you an angel? Am I dead?"

Rukia frowned and smiled at the same time. "Silly Russian!"

He grinned, rolling on the mat to lie on his back and pulling Rukia on top of him, covering them both with the blanket. Before falling asleep, his were the last words she heard. "My angel." But hers were the last words she remembered. _"I promise, Nii-sama."_

When she woke up, the next day, rolled like a cat on top of Ichigo, she inhaled his scent close to his collarbone and scanned his spirit with her senses. This was her last day with him, she thought, feeling a grip on her throat, so she had to make sure to restore him completely. Foremost, he needed to rest, and she chanted a spell of deep sleep, the same her brother had bestowed upon him, years ago. She brushed her lips in between his defined pectorals for a long moment, before getting up to get herself and the items she needed ready to conclude his healing.

For hours she worked, surrounding him with crystals made with spiritual arts, summoning the ancients to chant for his soul, binding the power of the elements to strengthen his vitals under mystic symbols drawn with sacred balms, and finally washing all his body with an infusion of rare roots, nourishing him through the skin. She took longer to finish these procedures than she would normally need, because, all the while, looking at his perfect features, she couldn't escape the remembrance of what it felt like to be embraced by that body. Of what it felt like to own those lips, what it tasted like to moist those nipples, what it burned like to be touched by those hands and how it fulfilled her to sheath his whole length.

After she was done, she covered him with the blanket and went outside to cool herself with the evening breeze, trying to steady her pounding heart. She watched the torches of Rukongai at the distance, trying to distract herself from the aching on her chest. Cold drops started splashing over her, and she welcomed the rain to cool her head and wash her thoughts.

But suddenly she gasped, when two strong arms wrapped themselves around her, pulling her back from the rain to under the sheltering eaves.

Ichigo was amused with having startled her. "Don't have the dagger to point at me this time?"

"Ichigo!"

He looked at the rain, brushing his chin on her hair. "You know… I was sheltering you from the rain, almost like this, when you gave me that name."

"Do you really wear it?" Ichigo nodded over her head. "Why?"

"I liked the way you said it. … Well, next to yours, of course…" and he lowered his head to whisper to her ear "Rukia." making her shiver.

She leaned against him, closing her eyes. "How did you know it was me?"

Ichigo nuzzled on her neck warming the wet skin with his breath. "… When I saw you running on the hills, when you looked at me… it was the same as when you were trying to pull me away from those men, back then. … That's when I knew who you were." And he licked the raindrops from her neck, making her moan and press her back against his arousal, running her fingers up the sides of his legs in tempting suggestion. With a grunt, Ichigo slid back into the hut, holding Rukia's body captive to his.

She tilted her head to the side, searching his lips with hers and making his manhood twitch with the raw voracity with which she claimed purchase of his tongue. She had spent the whole day yearning to taste him and her instincts were numbing all her senses with need. Ichigo had just pulled the top of her robes down, to feel her back against his abs and fill his palms with her breasts, when she turned her body towards him, pulling the knot that released her waist from the bottom portion of her robes. Holding his backside with conquering fingers, her spare hand grabbed hold of his virility, circling a thumb oiled by his own juices around the tip.

"Rukia!" His knees bent to the floor but his panting whimper only inflamed her more. She used her weight to lie him down, but he grabbed her hands to escape from drowning in the whirlpool played by her fingers. But her thirst was not quenched and she sucked his tongue while rubbing her arousal on his own. He opened his mouth to groan and released one of her hands to lift her hips from his throbbing member. But his feeble cling on control only made her wish to steal it from him. She drew soft bites across his jawbone, savoring his panting and the near helplessness on his clouded eyes when faced with the raw desire of her own. She took the hand that was holding her hip and she lowered herself down to kiss its palm. Ichigo's fingers caressed her face and played with the wet locks of her hair, until suddenly Rukia locked her fingers firmly in between his own and strayed her face away from his caress, to hungrily taste his manhood.

Fueled by the bolt that seemed to have run through Ichigo's whole being, as he cried her name again in between hisses, erratically clenching and extending his fingers under the grip of her small hands, Rukia licked, sucked, explored with her tongue, every inch of skin, every pulsing vein, every underline of his masculinity, reveling on every twitch, every clench, every desperate gasp that Ichigo was producing under the tick of her hunger.

The same hunger that won the battle within Ichigo's senses, as he released his hands from Rukia's and pulled her up under her shoulders with an animal growl, holding her hips on top of his face, as he ravaged her folds with the whims of starvation. The taste of her juices flooded his brain, to the music of her moans and her gripping of his chest. With his folds brushing her own and his tongue drinking the bundle of nerves within them, he ran a palm across her backside and dipped two fingers slightly inside her entrance, circling around the slickness. He moaned together with her, feeling her thighs tighten over his shoulders and released her hip to caress her core, while the other hand left her valley to travel up her side, trailing her juice to damp her breast and moist a pink nipple, electrifying Rukia's spine.

Her hips were running wild, enhancing the pleasure of Ichigo's motions with their own. Under the ministry of his appendages and with his raised hand now holding her other breast, Rukia felt the pressure inside her core tuck and splash all over her body, not holding a cry and clawing his chest as he drank her orgasm with the thirst of desire. Feeling the room run around her, she felt two fingers trace a path up her neck, lowering her chin and intruding on her panting folds to play with her tongue. She could still taste herself on them and she opened her eyes to meet Ichigo's gaze underneath her. The desire on his brown orbs was as primal as it was helpless. Seeing her come on top of him had intoxicated his nerves and locked his brain to anything beyond his need of her. Just looking at him made Rukia's insides burn up in anticipation, and he didn't let her stay in wanting for longer.

He took her down, to lie on top of her and as soon as he raised himself to capture her lips, he was already sheathed to the hilt inside her, the kiss stroking their moan. For a moment he stood still, but Rukia could feel him slightly shudder inside her. She raised her knees and hooked her legs around his waist, levering her hips up and closer to him, wanting to drive him deeper. She parted their kiss to softly bite his ear, using the strength in her legs to raise and lower herself across his length. "Don't you dare holding me still now."

Tossing control out the window, Ichigo lifted himself to sit on his heels with Rukia still wrapped around him and started to rock against her in blissful abandon. He embraced her tightly, showering her neck with wet kisses, as their heartbeats entwined and their pants mixed. Overrun by the desire of going deeper inside of her, Ichigo distanced her upper body from him, craning his torso to meet the contours of her breasts with his tongue and softly suckle on her hirsute nipples. Rukia was drunk with pleasure, feeling his shaft reaching deeper with each pound and his mouth setting her chest on fire.

He released her mounds to lower her torso even more, making her back rest against his upper legs while her head was tousling the raven locks on the mat, his hands firmly gripping her hips to heave himself in and out of her. Not only was he aflame with madness with how far he was reaching inside of her, but the full sight of Rukia, arching and meandering below him, assaulted his brain like an overpowering predator flying swift to reach his climax. One hand released her hip, to slide the thumb on her sensitive erect flesh, while the other hand shook her hips against him to a vertiginous pace.

She was already loosing the strength on her legs, feeling her thighs tremble and biting her own clenched finger to repress the scream of her impending orgasm, when Ichigo lost himself on his release, his warm jolts meeting her spasmodic inner walls. She mewled in between pants, carried by the waves bathing her whole body and slowly washing away, while Ichigo was moaning with his eyes firmly shut and clenched teeth, feeling every convulsion on his pelvis invade his veins with pleasure.

He caressed her sides, before dragging his knees away from her and laying down, resting his face on her stomach. Rukia buried her fingers amidst his bright orange scalp, reality slowly returning to her brain.

He brushed his nose on her bellybutton, waiting for both their breaths to recover a steadier pace. His voice came low and husky. "… You know… I keep feeling like sooner or later, I'm going to wake up on a Dutch caravan again and wonder if you're real."

Rukia took a long while to reply, almost with a whisper. "I'm real."

That wasn't the part of the sentence to which Ichigo needed an answer to. And he gained the certainty that his time with Rukia was going to reach an abrupt end beyond his power to avoid. He held her tighter, sharing the sadness that her spirit kept revealing within him, now understanding its cause.

"_I promise, Nii-sama."_

_I'm sorry, Ichigo._


	4. Epilogue: Twice Fated

**Once Miracle, Twice Fate**

**Epilogue – Twice Fated**

Several months have passed since the Russian attack of Seiretei Island and Kuchiki Byakuya was inside his study room cataloging essences on his journal, when one of his servants asked permission to interrupt him.

"Yes, Renji, what news from the mainland?"

"Apparently Russia is renegotiating the borders, we can relax the surveillance on the sea."

"… Well, never too safe." he said, continuing to write on the thin pages.

"Also, on my way through Rukongai, your sister asked me to deliver this letter to you."

Byakuya raised an eyebrow, it wasn't customary for Rukia to send letters when she needed extra provisions, she would either send word for simple things or visit him personally for complicated items. As he unfolded the paper, he raised both his eyebrows at the sentence on top.

_Nii-sama,_

_What do you call a miracle when it happens twice?_

He closed his eyes and sighed. "I call it a boy as stubborn as you."

Most of the paper was blank, but at the bottom, it could be read:

_I'm sorry, but I'm keeping him this time. Please, don't try to take him away._

Byakuya shook his head. "And who am I to trifle with a fate the gods themselves seem to be too weary to cross." And he called for his servant again. "Renji!"

"Yes, Kuchiki-sama?"

"Double the weekly provisions to my sister's shelter."

The servant wrinkled his forehead in surprise. "If you wish for her to gain weight, wouldn't it be better to just send her more chocolate?..."

He frowned, narrowed his eyes and looked to the side, mumbling "Chocolate was what spoiled her in the first place."


End file.
